Regional super power grids face political obstacles

Significance

Its proponents argue that interconnecting the world’s power grids would make it easier for renewable energy, however remotely it is generated, to replace most fossil fuels in electricity generation. Implementation remains a distant, and politically fraught, possibility but regional super-grids look increasingly feasible and could boost the submarine cable industry.

Impacts

• Load-balancing on a global scale could reduce peak load generation needs by an estimated 5-10%, saving billions in investment.
• Power grids require estimated investment of USD14tn by 2050, nearly as much as projected spending on new renewables capacity.
• International rules on carbon pricing and taxing would be a prerequisite for a global power grid.